Cox4i2, Ifit2, and Prdm11 Mutant Mice: Effective Selection of Genes Predisposing to an Altered Airway Inflammatory Response from a Large Compendium of Mutant Mouse Lines

PLoS One. 2015 Aug 11;10(8):e0134503. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134503. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

We established a selection strategy to identify new models for an altered airway inflammatory response from a large compendium of mutant mouse lines that were systemically phenotyped in the German Mouse Clinic (GMC). As selection criteria we included published gene functional data, as well as immunological and transcriptome data from GMC phenotyping screens under standard conditions. Applying these criteria we identified a few from several hundred mutant mouse lines and further characterized the Cox4i2tm1Hutt, Ifit2tm1.1Ebsb, and Prdm11tm1.1ahl lines following ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and repeated OVA airway challenge. Challenged Prdm11tm1.1ahl mice exhibited changes in B cell counts, CD4+ T cell counts, and in the number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavages, whereas challenged Ifit2tm1.1Ebsb mice displayed alterations in plasma IgE, IgG1, IgG3, and IgM levels compared to the challenged wild type littermates. In contrast, challenged Cox4i2tm1Hutt mutant mice did not show alterations in the humoral or cellular immune response compared to challenged wild type mice. Transcriptome analyses from lungs of the challenged mutant mouse lines showed extensive changes in gene expression in Prdm11tm1.1ahl mice. Functional annotations of regulated genes of all three mutant mouse lines were primarily related to inflammation and airway smooth muscle (ASM) remodeling. We were thus able to define an effective selection strategy to identify new candidate genes for the predisposition to an altered airway inflammatory response under OVA challenge conditions. Similar selection strategies may be used for the analysis of additional genotype-envirotype interactions for other diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology
  • Immunoglobulins / blood
  • Immunoglobulins / immunology
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Mutation*
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Proteins / genetics*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases / genetics
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases / immunology
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • Ifit2 protein, mouse
  • Immunoglobulins
  • PRDM11 protein, mouse
  • Proteins
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Ovalbumin

Grants and funding

The project was supported by grants from The Novo Nordisk Foundation (AHL), the Danish Cancer Society (CKF, AHL), the Helmholtz Portfolio Theme 'Metabolic Dysfunction and Common Disease’ (JB), the Helmholtz Alliance ‘Imaging and Curing Environmental Metabolic Diseases’ (JB) and by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Infrafrontier grant 01KX1012 (MHA). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.